Mother allegedly steals baby food

September 16, 2010

A mother resorted to violence Wednesday in an attempt to feed her infant child.
Shannon Lee Hawkins, 40, of Hickory, allegedly stole 57 jars of Gerber baby food from Food Lion at 3220 Springs Road NE in Hickory.
According to Hickory Police, Hawkins walked into the grocery store about 10 a.m. Wednesday and put the baby food jars, valued at $36.06, into a bag she carried with her.
She then walked past the store manager, left the store and headed toward the parking lot. The store manager ran out of the store after Hawkins in an attempt to stop her, and Hawkins, who got into her silver 1998 Honda Accord, tried to run over the manager with the vehicle.
The car didn’t have a license plate at the time of the incident, and no damage to the vehicle was reported.
Hawkins drove away from Food Lion, and the store manager, who was uninjured in the incident, called law enforcement.
Hawkins’ child was not in the car during the larceny.
Hickory Police viewed the grocery store’s video surveillance footage of the incident, and they recognized Hawkins from previous incidents with law enforcement.
Police located Hawkins 10 minutes later at a shelter on Highland Avenue in Hickory. She was arrested and charged with misdemeanor larceny and misdemeanor assault with a deadly weapon.
Hawkins is listed as unemployed on her arrest report.
Catawba County Department of Social Services will receive a copy of HPD’s incident report and will determine, Hawkins is out of jail, if the child will stay with its mother. It is unknown if Hawkins has any other children, but the baby is staying with a friend of Hawkins.’
Police transported Hawkins to Catawba County jail under a $1,500 bond.